ESP32S3 - Micropython - network.WLAN.active(True) Hangs

Question

I purchased this from Digikey (docs).

I flashed the latest firmware release with the following commands:

$ esptool.py \
    --port /dev/tty.usbmodem14201 \
    --baud 460800 \
    --before default_reset \
    --after hard_reset \
    --chip esp32s3 \
    erase_flash
$ esptool.py \
    --chip esp32s3 \
    --port /dev/tty.usbmodem14201 \
    --baud 460800 \
    write_flash \
        -z 0 \
        GENERIC_S3-20220117-v1.18.bin

With the resultant interpreter prompt, I instantiate a network.WLAN object and call the .active(True) method to enable the interface, but it hangs forever. I replicated the issue on identical hardware. Not sure if this is a software bug or a hardware bug. I haven only tested this with the device being powered via USB port connected to my dev laptop, so I haven't looked into whether this could be a power issue.

.venv/bin/python -m serial.tools.miniterm /dev/tty.usbmodem1234561 115200
--- Miniterm on /dev/tty.usbmodem1234561  115200,8,N,1 ---
--- Quit: Ctrl+] | Menu: Ctrl+T | Help: Ctrl+T followed by Ctrl+H ---

>>> 
>>> import network
>>> wlan = network.WLAN(network.STA_IF)
>>> wlan.active()
False
>>> wlan.active(True)                     <--------- this method call hangs forever

Any ideas I could try to get wifi working?

Thanks in advance.